Recent Favorite Things...

My friend Kate has been posting her monthly cool finds and I love reading about new things so I decided to start a list of my own. Here are some things I have found over the past few months that I think are worth talking about.

Tide Washing Machine Cleaner- We got a HE front load washer a few Christmases ago and for the past year our machine has been smelling moldy and isn't being as efficient. This month we discovered this, ran it through once, and the moldy smell went away. This box comes with three pouches and monthly you run a cycle with one pouch without clothes to keep your washer smelling fresh! A must for all HE and front load washers.

Bucky Balls- These magnetic balls have become a favorite toy at our house. In each kit you receive 120 of the strongest magnets on earth. You can make a ton of different creations with them including cubes, hexagons, spheres and other things my nerdy engineer husband has figured out. They are great to play with when you are bored and have kept Mike very entertained.

Finish Dishwashing Detergent and Lemi Shine Rinse- This find was actually thanks to Miss Annie. Mike was complaining to her about how awful our dishes look after coming out of the dishwasher thanks to all the brands removing phosphorus and she told us we needed to get these two products. Our dishes have never been cleaner so thanks Annie!

Lays Stax Salt and Vinegar chips- I actually have known about these for a while but they are still one of my fave treats, so I thought I would share. I am not normally a salt and vinegar chip fan but Brittney brought them to Bear Lake when we camped up there this summer and I have been addicted ever since. They have a great taste and texture and the perfect amount of vinegar. Mmm!

DealsthatMatter.com- This site is pretty awesome and supports The Sharing Place. It's a lot like Groupon except that 15% of the profits go to whichever non-profit you choose. Getting a deal while supporting a non-profit? Can't beat that!

Clark Executive Detail- This find was thanks to DTSB and Deals That Matter. They are kind of a strange place but they do awesome car details. I took my car in today and drove away feeling as though I just bought a new car. They even were able to get off the eyeliner mark I had accidentally drawn on the ceiling. Let's just say don't try to apply eyeliner on bumpy roads. :) Their number is 801.485.6296 and they are located at 2202 S McClelland Street. They also store boats for $1.25 per square foot per month for all my boating friends out there!

Kolache's- One of the best thing about my job is being able to try new foods. Jill's team brought Kolache's in a few weeks ago and I have been craving one ever since. They are a traditional Czech pastry made of a fluffy, sweet, yeast-risen dough which can be filled with either fruit or meat and are delicious. You can get them at Johnny Kolache's located at 900 South 248 West. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Well that is all of my cool finds for now. When I asked Mike if he had any to add he said LED flashlights and two computer monitors. He is currently installing our new surround sound with a LED flashlight propped in his mouth so I decided I needed to add it. The two monitors stemmed from when he hooked up our new computer Christmas morning and he left our old monitor on the desk too. He has been in heaven when he works from home. My husband is a sexy nerd through and through :)

Hope you all like these finds as much as I do. I am always looking for new suggestions too so if you have any, please share! I will leave you with a few of my newest I-tune downloads and some of my all-time faves.



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Happy New Year everyone!

FINALLY!

No, no, I am not pregnant. As much as I wish that was what the FINALLY! was for. Instead it's regarding clothes. :)

I have FINALLY found a pair of work pants that are not only flattering, but super comfortable. I have been on the hunt for work pants for quite some time and while shopping the Express 40% off Black Friday sale, I discovered these fabulous pants. They are made of a seasonless stretch, so they don’t rub and stretch for those “bloated” or “yucky” feeling days. So for all of you career women out there, check them out here. If you decide they are as fab as I do, make sure to sign up for Express’ emails because they send coupons out ALL the time. Here are some pics and in true Lauren fashion, I own all three colors. Whoops.

How nice it is not to have to wear skirts every day! Although I did also get this adorable skirt that I love. Don't worry, I have this in two colors as well. I need to expand my horizons!

New work clothes make me so happy! Thanks Mom and Be! Now I just need some new shirts...

2011 YOTR

As 2010 comes to an end, I began reflecting on how far I have come this year. I am in a better place in life, friendships and marriage than I have ever been and it has been a drastic and positive change for me. I am finally content, have the most amazing friends, an incredibly loving husband and life is pretty great. While I am extremely happy, there always a few changes that could enhance our lives. Here are my resolutions for 2011; I look forward to accomplishing each of them!

-Go to the gym twice a week.

-Cook at home more and try a new recipe at least once a month.

-Continue working on my marriage and falling more and more in love with my husband.

- Be a more emotionally and physically available friend.

- Be more vocal about how much the most important people in my life mean to me.

- Wake up at 6 am so that I am not constantly 10 minutes late.

- Get caught up on my Sharing Place assessments.

- Pay off the Second mortgage on the rental.

-Start saving more.

- Complete the house projects we have needed to do since moving in including fixing one of our can lights, building a cold storage pantry, touching up paint and putting a light on the deck so we can eat outside in the summer.

-Take more me time.

- Find bedroom and front room furniture.

- Take my contacts out at night.

- Order wedding pictures and turn our house into a home.

- Quit holding grudges, remember it is ok to cry and count my many blessings.

I am thrilled for 2011 and all the potential this New Year brings. I have a feeling it’s going to be one great year! In Katie Coon’s words “2011, Year of the Ricci!”

The Real Meaning of Christmas...

This year I had the wonderful opportunity to be heavily involved with Sub for Santa through my team at Fidelity. Almost everyone on my team of 30 people generously gave $25.00 so we could provide Christmas to some Make A Wish families. We ended up raising over $800.00 and were able to brighten 5 children’s Christmas. I had a blast shopping for all of the toys and wrapping them and it really reminded me what the real meaning of Christmas is. Often we forget Christmas is about being selfless and giving and the experience allowed me to be both.

The first family we helped was the family of Dawn. Dawn’s son Austin (13) has downs syndrome and was recentlydiagnosed with leukemia. Austin has a 9 year old sister named Gabriella and a 4 year old brother named Devin who are very patient with him and sweet. When I called Dawn to tell her we had chosen her to help this Christmas she said “this is the first good news I have received all year.” All of them were so excited when we showed up bearing many gifts and they were incredibly appreciative. Here are some pictures of our drop off with Dawn and her family, as well as a list of things we were able to provide to them.

Austin- Neft N-Strike Stampede Gun, Tonka Ricochet Radio Control Vehicle and a Wii Mario Galaxy game.

Gabriella- Video Barbie, Crayola Color Explosion Glow Dome, Tangled DS game, Hampster Zu Zu pet, The Scoop-A Justin Bieber Story and a Unicorn Pillow Pet.

Devin- Talking Spiderman, Bakugan DS Game, Creepy Crawlers Bug Maker, Monkey Pillow Pet, Fisher Price Cycle Pro.

Dawn: Body Wash Gift set and various body care items.



The second family we helped I unfortunately was unable to capture any pictures of but they were equally appreciative. When Jill and I showed up with all of their gifts, the father Travis gave both of us a huge hug. They are also a Make A Wish family because Gracie, who is 4, has problems with her heart and has had to endure many surgeries. She has a 3 year old brother Tanner, who was adorable. To make matters worse, the father Travis lost his job recently and they lost a baby in October. It was nice to give this family some much needed good news and I loved being a part of this program. Here is a list of things we were able to provide Gracie, Tanner and their family.

Gracie- A coat, gloves, a hat, a Unicorn Pillow Pet, Princess Dress-ups, Princess Shoes, a Dora Doll, Princess Pajamas and a Princess Learning Toy. (Gracie loves Princesses!)

Tanner- A coat, gloves, a hat, a Dog Pillow Pet, a Rumblin Chuck Tonka Truck, a Spongebob memory game, playdough, a Cars toy car, Spongebog Squarepants Season 3 and racecar pajamas.

Travis and Holly- A Walmart gift card, gloves and a hat.

This family was great to help out and they will be granting Christmas to another child at Primary Children’s on Wednesday. A child Gracie knows from the hospital who is currently going through chemotherapy only wants a puppy for Christmas. Gracie’s dog had puppies a few weeks ago so they will be giving one to him. I love when people “pay it forward”.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Marry Me...

This is my new favorite song. It almost makes me want to get married all over again just to be able to walk down the aisle to this. My favorite lyric is "Marry me, today and everyday" because it's a choice everyday to stay married. I feel so honored to get the opportunity to choose my amazing husband everyday and that I get to spend every moment with my very best friend.

Love is one amazing thing.

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Little Miss Mekah...

For my mom's birthday last February, I got her a year's worth of her favorite bread that has to be special ordered. Well, I had my bi-weekly delivery for my mom on the table and while Mike was putting up the Christmas lights and I was running errands, Miss Mekah found a way to get onto the table, open the plastic wrap and have herself a gourmet treat. This is what I came home to...It's a good thing she is so dang cute and that I am impressed easily by her doggie intelligence. :) Silly dog!

Oh Christmas Lights...

Ever since I was little, I have loved to look at Christmas lights and it doesn’t feel like Christmas without them. My mom and I even used to drive around and critique lights by saying "crooked or straight". When Mike and I began dating he learned quickly that I REALLY wanted lights on the house no matter what. He always puts up a fight but has been a good hubby and put them up year after year. Our old house was much easier to put the lights up because the roof wasn’t too high or very steep but our new house is ultra scary! He braved his fear of heights last year but swore he wouldn’t do it again unless he could be roped and harnessed in. This year he got a brand new harness and rope and was all ready to put them up, but then the “2010 Blizzard” hit and it didn’t look like he would be able to get them up.

Now I was a little irritated because I had asked Mike to put them up the weekend after Halloween (my mom says there is only one good weekend after Halloween), but Mike was more interested in football and said “there will be another nice weekend”. Well, weekend after weekend went by and the snow just kept on falling. I finally conceded that we would not be getting Christmas lights this year and started to playfully pick on Mike by telling him that he should really listen to his wife more often and that for the rest of his life I was going to remind him of the “no lights year”.

Well, I guess he got sick of my bantering because last weekend on what looked to be a nice day, he climbed up on the roof to put them up. As he was climbing up the roof to anchor himself in, the snow that was still present of the roof gave way and he slid all the way down to where the ladder was. Luckily the ladder stopped him from falling off, but he immediately climbed down, called me and said “I am NOT putting Christmas lights up!” I had told him multiple times that I didn’t want him to get hurt so our house could be Christmassy, but he was being stubborn and would not give up.

This past weekend he decided to give the lights one more go. He climbed up, got anchored in and spent all day Saturday putting the lights up. I am so happy and think I definitely have one great hubby who will go to such great lengths to make me happy. They look great and because it was SUCH an ordeal, I thought it warranted a blog post. Next year I think he will listen to me though and will get the lights up sooner than later. Wives are sometimes full of good ideas. :)

Happy holidays everyone!

This is the spot he slid from.

Such a brave hubby!
Didn't he do a great job?!?

Thanks Be!

After 19 long months, a new blog is born!

After a long and difficult 19 months, I decided I wanted to document our journey to parenthood on a separate blog. This has a few purposes but mostly it's to give me a place to express my feelings and experiences as I finally give in and start down the path of infertility treatments. So, if you are interested in our journey, come on over to the "extension" of this blog located here...

19 Months and Counting...

Our own real life, non-conventional path to parenthood.

and as always, thanks for your love, prayers and support. It means the world to us.

The streak is broken!

That's right, the Sigma Chi baby boy streak is finally over! Miss Brittney is having a baby girl in April and I couldn't be more thrilled for her! I can't wait to finally be able to buy cute girl clothes and throw a girlie baby shower. Congrats to my partner in crime; I can't wait for this little girl to get here!

I had to use this picture because it includes all of my fave Mamas!

Miss Annie, Me, Britt and Rache.

YIPPEE!!!

Biggest, Best, Favorite, Dreams and Wishes...

Thanks Kate for the fun post. I do love a good survey. I think they always reveal something about yourself. I had to add a dreams and wishes section too. Feel free to steal this one if you like :)

Biggest...

splurge... Our house and vacations.
impact on my life... My mom, Sharing Place and Mike.
life changing moment... My dad's death.
obsession... Becoming a mom, being organized, Facebook, Starbucks and blankets.
fear... Not getting pregnant, drowning and having my mom die.


Best...

accomplishment... Probably getting my degree or becoming the intake specialist at TSP.
life advice... Don't spend more than you have. -Mike's grandpa
"Give them the Heisman"- quote from Lem Barney, a former Lions cornerback who Mike met on a flight to Detroit right before we got married. Essentially meaning "Never put yourself in a position where you can be tempted."
part of my day... Changing into my sweats and relaxing with my hubby.
beauty tip... Wear moisturizer with SPF and blush is a must. Also bangs are a great way to camouflage a big forehead. :)
pair of jeans...Depends on my mood but I do love Sevens.


Favorite...

season... Spring, I love the smell.
movie... The Notebook, 10 Things I Hate About You and The Butterfly Effect
vacation... Our first trip to Cancun
movie star...Ryan Gosling
comfort food... Macaroni and Cheese with extra parmesan from Noodles and Cheetoes.
quote... Oh so many...
"You can close your eyes to the things you don't want to see but you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel."
"Having everything doesn't necessarily mean having it all at once."
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall." --Confucius
The worst thing that happens to you may be the best thing for you if you do not let it get the best of you"- Will Rogers
"She was no longer wrestling with the grief, but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts." -George Eliot

Dreams and Wishes...

dream vacation... 10 days in Fiji with just Mike and I.
one wish for life... to be a mom
one trait you wish you could change... my temper
talent you wished you posessed... the ability to dance

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

I am not much of a decorator but I absolutely LOVE our Christmas tree. This year it was very fun to decorate because it only took 20 minutes to put up since I spent 6 hours last year making sure the lights were wrapped around every branch of our inherited artificial tree. Mike and I were both shocked when all the lights actually worked and we spent Thanksgiving decorating it. Finally the "useless" room as Mike likes to call it, (we have zero furniture in it) has a purpose; it's now the Christmas tree room! I am so proud of it that I had to post some pictures.

The theme of it has been, and probably always will be, a red and silver color scheme filled with stars, our initials and some of my favorite words. My mom helped me shop for cranberries and silver fillers last year and they really pulled the tree together. Here are some pictures of my favorite touches.

Love and Wish ornaments purchased at Tai Pan. I also have a Hope one.

M, L and R Initials purchased at Restoration Hardware. Hoping to add a few more soon :)

Large Sparklie stars purchased at Target. Also have sparklie red and silver balls which kind of look like disco balls but I love the twinkle they bring!

Mini sparklie stars purchased at Tai Pan. I think I have 3 dozen. I do love stars!
Cranberry sprigs purchased at Joannes.

Wish Star, purchased on a random shopping date with my mom.

and of course a tin man to honor my dad. A gift from my thoughtful mom. :) She even kept with the silver theme.

Can't wait to finish decorating the rest of the house and putting some presents under the tree!

Happy holidays everyone!

Reason, Season, Lifetime

Lately this has been my mantra and I see myself going back to this poem multiple times a month. It reminds me to forgive, understand and be willing to let people go when needed but still appreciate the influence that person had in my life while they were in it. I hope it brings you the same perspective it brings me.

"People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant."

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you are for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I hope you are a lifetime though :)

Thankful!

Usually I don't get to reflect on what I am thankful for because we are always traveling to St. George and running around trying to get everything ready. This year we decided to stay home and celebrate Thanksgiving with the Brown family, so I have been able to just relax and think about the things and people that make my life what it is. Here are the things I am thankful for, in no particular order.

-My hard-working, loving, supportive, sexy, and funny husband who loves me unconditionally and is always there for me when I need him.

-Wonderful family who love me for me and who make the holidays so great.

-DTSB, aka my mom for being everything to me.

-Rod, who makes my mom the happiest she has ever been and who is always so helpful and giving to Mike and I.

-My adorable dogs Miss Mekah and Mr. Semper who keep us laughing and who are always there for some cuddle time when we are having a hard day.

-My awesome Fidelity job that not only provides us a paycheck and great benefits, but that has made life more enjoyable.

-Mike's job which provides us security, our livelihood and a lot of fun travels.

-Whitney, my sister, who has always been there for me, forgiven me when I should not have been forgiven and for being my lifelong friend.

-Miss Annie who has been an amazing friend over the past few years, is supportive, is a great listener, a joy to be around and who reminds me it's ok to be me while giving some of the best advice.

-The ability to forgive and realize friendships change while cherishing the times I had with old friends.

-Aubz, for keeping me laughing, for always being there, for my faux nephew Kyler and for being so understanding of my insane life.

-Brittney who has been my partner in crime, my confidant and who always offers support, friendship, laughs, a listening ear and a place to stay when we venture to Logan.

-Our beautiful home that I still can't believe is ours.

-Sharing Place which offers me support, humility, encouragement, a second home, a baby savings fund and some of the most inspirational and loving people I have ever been blessed to know. Also for being the only place that can cure my soul.

-My bunco group for taking me out of my comfort zone and introducing me to some of the funniest and wonderful girls I know and for allowing me to have at least one night of me time.

-Modern medicine for giving me the strength to get through my battle by offering alternative options.

-Sigma Chi for bringing my best friends into my life, for making my husband into the man he is today and for many lifelong memories with more to come.

-Our newest splurge, Marilyn our house cleaner, for keeping me sane.

-My friend's children for filling my void and reminding me it is my destiny to be a mom no matter how it happens.

-Jill for welcoming me to Fidelity and her life with open arms and who is exactly the friend I have been needing and waiting for.

-My blog for being the one place I can truly express all of my emotions without hesitation.

-For the ability to grow, to learn, to embrace change, to love and to give of myself to others.

-Andy, Seth and Jess and Spears for sticking with me.

-Coke, Limes, Starbucks, OG, Cheetos, Ho Hos, TV, our DVR, cookie dough, fast food, Facebook, Netflix and all of my other vices. You make life more enjoyable.

- Music and quotes for keeping my secrets and putting words to my emotions.

-Hannie for keeping me beautiful inside and out, for always being a listening ear, for loving me, teaching me, helping me grow and going through all of my experiences with me.

-Chris for being an incredible friend who allowed me to become who I never thought I could be and being with me every step of the way.

-For being a US citizen, for not being in debt, for cars that run, for a heater that works and for a million other things I take for granted on a daily basis. These simple things I forget about make life so easy and I am grateful for a roof over our heads, clean water, a bathroom, food on the table and all other modern conveniences we are so fortunate to possess.

-For mine, Mike's, our parents, my siblings, my friends and my family's health.

-For everyone else who makes my life enjoyable and who is a true friend. Life wouldn't be this wonderful without each and every one of you in it.

There are a million other things I am thankful for and I feel so blessed to live my life. Most days I don't think I deserve the happiness I have but am incredibly thankful I do. I hope ya'll get a chance to think about what you are thankful for as well. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Another Yummy Recipe

I have also been asked for this yummy appetizer recipe so I thought I would share. Ironically it also came from Toni. She finds the most delicious treats and every time I make this, it's a huge hit.

Captain Rodney's Cheese Bake

1/2 cup mayonnaise

8 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 stalks green onions, chopped

10 Ritz crackers, crushed

8 slices of crispy bacon, chopped

1/2 cup Captain Rodney's Boucan glaze (the SECRET ingredient)

Mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and onions together in a greased pie tip or other baking dish. Top with the crushed Ritz crackers and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with the chopped bacon and drizzle the Boucan glaze over the top of the dip. Serve with Fritos or any other cracker you prefer.

*Note, I have yet to find Captain Rodney's Boucan glaze anywhere in Utah, but I order it from the Bell Buckle Country Store. The bottle is $10.00 and will make about three cheese dips. The flat rate shipping for it is a bit pricey, so I always order a few bottles at a time. The Boucan glaze is the same as the Mango Pepper glaze. If you ever find it being sold in Utah, I would LOVE to know!

Thanks and enjoy :)

If I can do it, so can you!

For Mike's birthday, he requested homemade chicken chili to serve at our Notre Dame vs. Utah viewing party. I love cooking for Mike's single friends because they always make me feel like the best cook, even though I am pretty sure it's because most of them just aren't used to a home cooked meal rather than my cooking abilities. Anyway, this chili got especially good reviews so I thought I would share the recipe with you. I promise it will be a crowd pleaser! Thanks Toni for sharing!

Southwestern Chicken Chili

2 TB olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green pepper, cored and chopped

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

4 medium tomatoes, chopped (I use canned whole tomatoes)

1 whole chicken, cooked (I used the Costco's rotisserie chicken)

6 cups water

8 oz can tomato sauce

2 15 oz cans black beans, not drained

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 heaping tsp cumin powder

1 heaping tsp chili powder

2 TB chopped fresh cilantro (garnish)

sour cream (garnish)

In a large stockpot, heat oil. Saute onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add green pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes. Saute for 2 minutes. Add whole chicken, water and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, cook 30 minutes. Remove chicken. Add beans, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Cover. Simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, debone chicken. Discard bones and skin, reserving chicken meat. Add chicken to soup. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with chopped fresh cilantro and a dollop of sour cream on top. Serves 6-8 people.

Tip 1: Next time I make this I will probably just use the breasts of the chicken because the rest was a pain to debone

Tip 2 thanks to Miss Annie: In you have a Kitchen aid, you can put the deboned and skinned chicken in it and use the white attachment. This will shred the chicken for you!

I served the chili with garlic bread and added fritos to my bowl to give it some crunch.

Bonus Recipe! Since this snow is making me depressed, I thought I would share a summer recipe with you to make me feel better. We have made this multiple times and it always gets rave reviews. Again, credit for this recipe goes to Toni.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Skewers

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

2-2 1/2 pounds peeled shrimp rinsed and drained (I buy these at Costco)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon grated lemon peel

2 or 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

lemon wedges (garnish)

1) Mix salt and sugar in bowl. Add shrimp and stir gently to coat. Cover and chill for 45 minutes-1 hour. Rinse shrimp well and drain. Also, rinse and drain bowl.

2) Return shrimp to bowl. Add olive oil, parsley, lemon peel, garlic, and pepper. Mix to coat. Thread shrimp on metal or soaked wooden skewers. Run skewer through body and head so the shrimp looks like the letter C.

3) Lay shrimp on an oiled BBQ grill on high heat and close lid. Cook, turning once, until shrimp are bright pink and opaque, but still moist looking in center of thickest part. 5-6 minutes total.

4) Serve with lemon wedge to squeeze over shrimp.

Happy cooking and Happy Turkey Day!

Bad wife turned good wife!

After I completely failed on Mike's ACTUAL birthday, I made up for it by surprising him with our new favorite gadget, the Apple TV. This honestly may have been my best purchase in quite some time. We had been talking about getting a device that would allow us to play Netflix without having to plug our computer into the TV, but were having a hard time finding one that met all our needs. A few weeks ago we went to the Bowers' house to see their finished remodel and were introduced to this little gem. We both thought the Apple TV was awesome as Seth showed us all it's capabilities, but we left it at that.

After not doing anything for Mike on his birthday, I began realizing what a bad wife I had been and began thinking about how I was going to make-up for it. After racking my brain for things he might want, the Apple TV popped into my head. I went down to the Apple store (which is an incredible place by the way) and purchased this new toy. Mike was COMPLETELY surprised when I gave it to him, because it wasn't something he has asked for and it's not often I get to surprise him. He immediately set it up and began enjoying what is the awesomeness of the Apple TV. Apple continues to impress me with their innovative technology, their user interface and the ability to just plug their products in and use them immediately.

For those of you who don't know what the Apple TV is (because I didn't until 2 weeks ago) it's a tiny box that hooks up to your TV and wi-fi using an HDMI cable and essentially turning your TV into a file server. You can watch Netflix, play Pandora, listen to your I-Tunes, watch a picture slide show, watch YouTube and rent movies and TV episodes, all from the comfort of your couch. We have really loved being able to watch a movie whenever we want, listening to music as we cook and clean and seeing random old pictures pop up while we enjoy some time together. The best part about the Apple TV is that it was only $99 bucks, there are no monthly service fees and we can control it with our I-pod touches!

So, if you are looking for a good gift for your hubby (or yourself), I highly recommend looking into it. You can click here for more info about it but I promise you won't be disappointed!

Welcoming Baby B... a new little Lucky 13!

Baby Sawyer Lee Bowers was finally born on November 9th to two of our dear friends, Seth and Jess. She was due November 13th, but instead she entered the world at 4:13 am after mama ironically pushed for 13 minutes. She weighed in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces and is a gorgeous baby girl. Mike and I couldn't be more happy for these 2 wonderful people who are already amazing parents, and Baby B is one loved little pickle. Congrats Seth and Jess, we look forward to seeing her grow and welcoming her into the BASM and The Lucky 13's. Here are a few of my fave pics of her that I stole from the website Seth set up for her. (http://www.sawyerbowers.com/) Photo credits go to Seth and his sister Jessica White photography.

On another note, isn't that blanket above adorable. I got it for her from this new Kiosk that opened at Gateway. They are super soft and you can customize them. They even sell adult blankets, lovies and crib bedding. Here is their website Minky Couture. Their prices are cheaper at the kiosk though and they have a better selection. Either way, they are my favorite new baby gift so if you are expecting, don't be surprised if you get one!

Youngblood

I am sure the title "Youngblood" makes you think of Twilight or some type of creepy vampire book but it is actually my new favorite make-up. My cute friend Jill from work introduced me to it and I absolutely love it! I have been using their pressed mineral powder, in addition to their mineral primer, and it's awesome. It is incredibly light while offering great coverage, looks really natural and has great staying power.

So, if you are looking for a new foundation, I HIGHLY recommend it. Here is their link, (Youngblood) but if you are interested in anything, let me know. I can order it so you don't have to pay shipping. Here is also a link to some reviews.

Here are the products I use and I have plenty more on my Christmas list!

Pressed Mineral Powder

Mineral Primer (this stuff is AWESOME!)Concealer (great for bags and zit coverup)

Pressed Mineral Rice Powder (to set)

Now that I have found a great foundation, I am looking for an eyeliner that stays. I rub my eyes a lot and it tends to be all over my eyes or completely gone by noon. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them!